A Wide Lens View Of How Large And Small Resorts Managed To Deal With Restrictions And Constraints. [Editor Note: Pat McCloskey is a regular contributor to SeniorsSkiing.com. This article first appeared in Chronicles of McCloskey.] First, let me say I was glad that we HAD a ski season. From changing my boots in the lot at Laurel Mountain to the[Read More…]
Half-Way Through The Season, Pat McCloskey Takes Stock. [Please consider supporting SeniorsSkiing.com with a donation. We appreciate your help. Click here.] We are halfway through winter, and the groundhog has come out to let us know what he thinks about the rest of the winter. I wonder if he will be masked? In any event, this has been a different[Read More…]
Easy Does It And Find The Rhythm. If you look at Henrik Kristoffersen here in the blue Norwegian National Team uniform doing slow turns, you will see the value of mechanics at a basic level. The important thing that I realized in watching Kristoffersen executing basic turn maneuvers at a very slow pace is that we all can work[Read More…]
Master Making Those Modern Arcs. Ski instructor Paul Lorenz has a great instructional series on You Tube showing how to carve on skis. To properly execute this type of turn, it is important to consider the basics of balance. Those of us who have skied for a while know that it is most important to stand on the new downhill[Read More…]
“Start Slow And Taper Off.” The ski season came to a screeching halt as most of us are now staying inside with some socially distanced outings. As I look back on this shortened season, I can take heart in the fact that I made the most of it before cancelling my last trip. Skied a lot in the rain locally,[Read More…]
[Editor Note: SeniorsSkiing.com is asking our readers to contribute to support our online magazine. Yes, we have grown in the number of subscribers and advertisers. But our expenses have also grown. You can help us defray some of these expenses by helping us out with a donation.] Support SeniorsSkiing.com by clicking here. ______________________________________________________ Want Steep? Chute 4 Has Steep. Deer[Read More…]
Instructor Pat McCloskey Recommends An Approach To Early Days. I had an interesting discussion with my lift mate this weekend at our local ski area. I asked the fellow beside me how his day was going. He remarked, “Well, the hill is fighting me back a little today.” I chuckled because the guy was a certified PSIA instructor but was[Read More…]
You Can Do It If You’ve Done It Before. You know, as you age, little things creep into your mind like, “Can I still ski that?” “Am I too old to keep trying this pitch?” But, one of the things that keeps our minds in check is the familiarity with the terrain after years of experience. For instance, every year,[Read More…]
The Cochran Family Makes Maple Syrup And Ski Racers. There are a lot of Vermonters and others in the ski racing world who could tell you a lot more about the famous Cochran Family of Richmond, VT. I have friends who know them personally and tell the tales of the first rope tow that Mickey Cochran built in his back[Read More…]
Both Require Looking Down The Trail, Pressurizing To The Outside Of The Turn. I was out the other night riding with my pals and noticed that I was starting to look at the front of my wheel in sketchy terrain, and my balance was starting to be compromised. I thought to myself, “Pat, keep your eyes focused down the trail[Read More…]
First Fat Bikes, Now E-Bikes. The Cycling World Is Spinning Up Innovation. An interesting phenomena has started to surface in the cycling industry. From July of 2016 to July of 2017, there was a 95% jump in sales of E-Bikes in what industry regulars say is currently a $65 million segment of the cycling business. Sales have been booming and[Read More…]
[Editor Note: As the new year begins, SeniorsSkiing.com is again asking our readers to contribute to support our online magazine. Yes, we have grown in the number of subscribers and advertisers. But our expenses have also grown. You can help us defray some of these expenses by helping us out with a donation. This year, we have a mix of[Read More…]
No Matter What You Are Sliding On, Basic Athletic Principles Apply. When I was a boy, my dad knew a woman who was a former USGA Senior Amateur Champion from South Carolina named Carol Cudone. She constantly reminded my dad to finish his golf swing with his “belly button to the ball.” Ultimately she was trying to get my dad[Read More…]
Skiing Binds Friends Together; Don’t Skip A Trip. One of the great things about the sport of skiing is that it is a conduit for friendships. There is nothing like the anticipation of the weekly get together with friends or the ski trip with pals that you have skied with for over 40 years. There’s a buzz: the excitement, the[Read More…]
Blind Skier Inspired All Who Knew Him. The first time I skied with Fred Siget was in Snowshoe, WV, with Larry Walsh of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. This was my maiden voyage guiding a visually impaired skier. I had Fred, the first blind skier in our area, in front of me. Right turn, left turn, right turn, stay, stay.[Read More…]
Mountain Bikers: These Trails Are Worth The Trek. One of the smoothest, most buttery trail systems in the east is situated in the middle of rural Pennsylvania near a beautiful body of water—Raystown Lake. The Alligrippis Trails were IMBA( International Mountain Bike Association) designed in conjunction with the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the[Read More…]
A Good Lesson Is One Where The Student Comes Away With A Positive Feeling. [Editor Note: Pat McCloskey is a Level III PSIA Instructor and a wicked, good skier and teacher, according to his friends. This article is his response to last week’s “Taking A Lesson At 72.” Fun Fact: A past subscriber survey revealed that almost 40% of seniors intended to[Read More…]
Western PA Pioneer Area Comes Back To Full Operation. There has been a lot written about the lost ski areas. For one reason or another, ski areas sometimes are unable to meet the financial or operational requirements and end up closing the lifts. They fall into disrepair and end up on a list of lost ski areas forever. But, there is[Read More…]
A Ski Instructor Reviews How To Turn On Shaped Skis. [Editor Note: Our Spring Survey 2016 revealed an interesting statistic. About 30 percent of seniors take one or more lessons during a ski season. For those of us who are still skidding around turns and wondering how other skiers make those clear, sharp, carved ski tracks, PSIA ski instructor Pat[Read More…]
Correspondent Pat McCloskey Rides With Cycling Pro Over Technical Trails. What in the world is an ex-World Cup mountain bike racer doing leading a bunch of old guys around the rock strewn trails of West Virginia? Well, that is exactly what happened when Sue Haywood graciously agreed to lead our group of aging warriors around some of the most challenging trails[Read More…]
Miles Of Mountain Trails On The OC Coast. My wife Janet was a flight attendant for US Air for many years, and she always referred to some crew members as “slam clickers.” They go to their hotel, slam the door and click the lock and don’t go out to visit any of the local sights. Too bad, especially since there is[Read More…]
Murder Mystery, Departure Of A Legend, Cycling With A Legend, Kayaking The Legendary Maine Island Trail. Hope you had a pleasant and safe Independence Day in the US, and a “nice” Canada Day, too. This short week has us exploring some summer themes and remembering a departed skiing hero. First, we’ve just discovered an old-fashioned murder mystery by Wendy Clinch,[Read More…]
Scot Nicol, A Founder Of Mountain Biking, Is A Heck Of A Rider In His 60s. Dirt Fest is an annual event that is presented by Dirt Rag Magazine and always takes place in May at Raystown Lake, Pa. The nationally known Alligrippis Trails are there, and it is an opportunity for 5,000-plus people to attend, ride the trails, and intermingle[Read More…]
Cycling With A Champion On A Charity Ride: Priceless. One of the more enjoyable events in cycling are those which support a charitable cause. Throughout the country there are road rides where participants receive donations per mile or flat donations to support different organizations. These are usually marked with support from the local motorcycle club escorts, food vendors and volunteers at[Read More…]
Senior Skiers Shift To Mountain Bikes To Ride Coast Of California. So, my ski buddy Eric says to me, “Patrick, let’s ride the Lost Coast of California”. The next thing I know I am winging westward to Sacramento with my mountain bike packed securely in my bike box and looking forward to a week of “van camping” with my good[Read More…]
